Robber jailed for ‘utter lawlessness’

A motorcyclist who was caught stealing from a tea shop at Stowford Manor Farm in Wingfield has been sentenced to eight years in prison, after it emerged the crime was the last in a series of offences across the area.

At Swindon Crown Court Christopher Pike, 30, formerly of White Horse Way, Devizes, pleaded guilty to robbery, four burglaries, theft, taking a motor vehicle, common assault, criminal damage, two counts of leaving without making payment and four of driving while disqualified and without insurance.

The crime at Stowford Manor Farm, which happened on October 4, occurred when teashop worker Mark Woolnough confronted Pike when he found him in the office, taking around £180.

Pike attacked Mr Woolnough with his crash helmet, before fleeing on a red motorcycle fitted with number plates which had been stolen from a motorcycle in Bradford on Avon.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said Pike had been in Bradford the day before and had stolen cash from the Swan Hotel in Church Street.

As well as pleading guilty to a number of offences, Pike asked for 50 offences committed between August 31 and October 25 to be taken into account.

Rob Ross, defending, said his client, who had a history of crime, was in the grip of a drug addiction at the time he committed the offences.

Judge Euan Ambrose told Pike: “You are before me for sentence for an enormously large amount of offences, committed over a two-month period of utter lawlessness.”

As well as his custodial sentence, Pike was banned from the road for two years.